Faculty

The Dean of the Science and Allied Health Division is Jim Collins, MA, JD. Two full-time faculty members and several adjunct (part-time) faculty members are associated with the physical therapist assistant program. One full-time faculty member is the program coordinator and the other is designated with responsibility for clinical education.

Full time faculty members:

Scott Thompson,PT, M.P.T (program coordinator/instructor). Scott is a 1996 graduate of the University of Puget Sound Physical Therapy program. His clinical career has revolved primarily around orthopedic physical therapy, with an emphasis on spine, temporomandibular, vestibular, and chronic pain rehabilitation. In 2005 Scott began full-time teaching. He has been the director of two Physical Therapist Assistant programs and has served as the Dean of Academic Affairs at Carrington College – Pleasant Hill. He assumed the role of program coordinator for the SCC PTA Program in 2014.

Patricia Harris, PT, MS. Graduate of UCB in Zoology 1971, NYU certificate program in Physical Therapy 1973, and Long Island Univ. advanced masters program in Physical Therapy. Clinical area of interest and practice is adult neurological disorders. Adult and pediatric NDT certification. Formerly lecturer at UCSF Curriculum in Physical Therapy, supervisor at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, and instructor in the CSUS program in Physical Therapy. Pat was an adjunct faculty member with the program from 1993-2004 and since that time has been a full-time faculty member with responsibility for coordination of clinical education activities.

Part-time faculty members:

Robert J. Asuncion PT, M.P.T. Robert earned both his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Physical Therapy from CSU Fresno. His clinical expertise is in outpatient orthopedics with an emphasis on pre and post surgical management of sports injuries focusing on sports medicine and return to play. Prior to specializing in outpatient orthopedics, he worked in an Acute Care Hospital rehabilitating neurologically impaired clients. He was Regional Manager for a nationwide outpatient orthopedic clinic from 2003-2007. He has been a partner at Results Physical Therapy since 2007, a private clinic specializing in sports medicine, sport physical therapy and sports performance training. He is also an adjunct professor in the Allied Health Department at Sacramento City College since 2008.

Kathy Bechtold,PT, DPT, CWS, CHT.Kathy earned her graduate degree in physical therapy from USC and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from A.T. Still University. She is a Certified Wound Specialist and a Certified Hand Therapist. She completed a post-graduate Certificate Program in Examination, Assessment, and Intervention of the Hand and Upper Quadrant at Samuel Merritt College in 2005 and has done an internship in PNF at Kaiser Vallejo. She has been a clinician and manager of acute care, outpatient, wound care, and skilled nursing rehab services at Sutter Davis Hospital for 18 years. Kathy has also been an adjunct instructor at UOP and CSUS.

Rafael Escamilla, PT, PhD. Rafael earned his Master’s degree in Physical Therapy from Elon University and his PhD in Biomechanics from Auburn University. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at California State University, Sacramento, and Research Coordinator at Results Physical Therapy and Training Center in Sacramento. His area of expertise is in Sports Medicine and Sports Biomechanics, primarily in the areas of knee biomechanics during rehabilitation exercises, overhead throwing biomechanics, and strength and conditioning. He has published over 50 scientific papers in peer reviewed journals and written numerous book chapters in sports medicine related textbooks.

Clare Lewis, P.T., Psy.D., M.P.T., M.T.C. Clare graduated from California State University, Fresno in 1981 with a B.S. in Physical Therapy. She received her M.P.H. in Health Behavior in 1988 and her M.S. in Physical Therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1994. She received both a PsyD in Clinical and Organizational psychology at the Professional School of Psychology in 2003 and 2005 respectively. Clare’s clinical expertise is in manual therapy of the spine and she is a Full Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapists (FFAAOMPT) as well as a Manual Therapist Certified (MTC). Her current clinical work is primarily in outpatient orthopedics but she is also currently doing clinical work in home health.

John Linberger, PTA, B.S. John is a graduate of the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Stark State College in Canton, Ohio and has a B.S. in health care management from Franklin University. His primary experience as a PTA is in outpatient physical therapy and he has been recognized for Advanced Proficiency in Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy by the APTA. John also is certified as a clinical instructor. Currently he serves as the Chief Delegate of the PTA Caucus of the American Physical Therapy Association representing the interest of the PTA Membership nationally.